Sunday, October 21, 2012

There are no poor people in Cerritos

Cerritos, my neighbor to the west, has once again shown its true colors. This time, they voted down a Goodwill store because residents think the store will increase crime.

White homemade signs, muffled gasps and cheers filled the Cerritos City Council chambers as the city council denied Goodwill SOLAC a conditional use permit to open a store on Carmenita Road. With Councilman Mark Pulido being the odd man out, the majority of the Oct. 11 meeting audience seemed to be on the council's side.

You won’t find homeless people or panhandlers in Cerritos. There are no soup kitchens or homeless shelters. You will see the homeless once you pass into neighboring cities through. It’s odd how that works. Cerritos is a city full of expensive homes, zoning-commission approved businesses and churches. There are lots and lots of churches, but very little love. I’m sure they pray about the poor while voting Goodwill stores.

Mayor Pro Tem Bruce Barrows said it best, “it was the wrong fit for the community.”

Cerritos sees itself as affluent. A Goodwill store would soil its image. Screw those in need.

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